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MARA’S GLUTEN-FREE POTATO PIZZA

9/30/2020

MARA’S GLUTEN-FREE POTATO PIZZA
Serves 4
Time: 1½ hours

1¼ to 1½ lbs. yellow potatoes (3 cups boiled & chopped)
7 oz. sliced smoked scamorza* cheese
½ cup gluten-free brown rice flour
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon of salted capers, rinsed and dried
½ teaspoon of dried oregano
12 fresh basil leaves
12 pitted and sliced Taggiasche olives
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Wash the potatoes. Put them in a pot and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil and then cook for about 35 minutes until cooked. They will be done when you can pierce easily with a fork.
Drain the potatoes. When cooled, peel them and cube them.
Puree the potatoes in a food processor or with a potato masher.
Knead the mashed potatoes with the flour, parmesan and egg into a dough.
Roll out the dough until it is the size of a 24” diameter pizza pan.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cook the rolled-out dough on its pizza pan for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover it with slices of scamorza, the cherry tomatoes, the dried oregano and the capers. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Return to the oven for a final 5 minutes.
Arrange the slices of olives and the whole basil leaves.
Slice and serve.

*Scamorza cheese is a smoked white semi-soft cheese. It is possible to substitute with a good, well-drained mozzarella.

Variations:

Replace the cherry tomatoes with 2 grilled peppers cut to strips and add 20 grams of anchovy fillets in oil.
Substitute Scamorza with Mozzarella or Taleggio cheese and substitute the oregano with rosemary. Or just add the rosemary.
Substitute the capers with thinly sliced red onions.

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Creamy Corn Soup

9/23/2020

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Serves 4
3 cups milk
2 to 2½ cups fresh corn kernels
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cooked and cubed
I teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon chili paste or Tabasco sauce
1 cup light cream, room temperature
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Garnish options:
¼ cup crumbled bacon
¼ cup shredded basil
¼ cup shredded dill
¼ cup chervil
¼ cup marjoram

Place the milk, corn, onions, potatoes, lemon juice and chili paste in a food processor or a blender. Process until completely puréed.
Pour the purée into a soup pot and gently bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Simmer about 15 minutes, until the onions have been fully cooked. Continue stirring frequently.
Add the salt and pepper to taste.
Slowly add the light cream, continuing to stir.
Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle with the garnish of your choice and serve.

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Caramelized Onions

9/16/2020

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Makes 2 cups
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 lbs. onions (Spanish are best if you can find them. Yellow are good.)
2 tablespoons water
Freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the onions by cutting off root end; halving onion from stem to stern; peel papery covering; placing cut side down on cutting surface and slicing into ¼ inch slices.
Heat the butter and oil over high heat in a very large skillet.
When the foam subsides, add salt, brown sugar and stir.
Add the onions, stirring gently to coat them with the mixture. Stirring occasionally, continue to cook until onions begin to soften and release some additional moisture, approximately 5 minutes
Reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook approximately 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are deeply browned and a little sticky. Take care not to scorch the onions. If they begin sizzling reduce the heat. If they are not browning after about 20 minutes, raise the heat.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the water, stirring gently but well. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

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Honey Bear Squash Roasted in Honey, Nutmeg and Sage

9/9/2020

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4 to 8 servings
4 small Honey Bear squash
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
10 small to medium sage leaves, shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°.
Remove the top of the squash as you would a pumpkin top. Reserve the top if desired for serving. Scoop out the seeds. Score the interior flesh of the squash so it can absorb the seasoning.
Place oil, butter, honey, nutmeg, sage, salt and pepper in a small sealable jar. Shake well.
Place the squash cut side up in an oven-proof ceramic baking dish. Distribute the the prepared seasoning liquids into the hollowed squash. Top with the reserved squash lids if desired.
Place baking dish into the oven. Turn oven down to 350°. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes depending on their size.
Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes then serve.

NOTE: If you prefer smaller portions or have larger squash, carefully drain the liquid into a measuring cup, cut the squash in half and serve with the liquids on the side.

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Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion

9/2/2020

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Serves 4
Crust:*
1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and rolling out
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons very cold butter, (1 stick), cut into ¼ “ small pieces
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Caramelized Onions:
large Spanish or yellow onions, sliced stem to root in ¼ inch thick
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon good green olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon of water

Tart:
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon cold water
½ to ¾ cup soft goat cheese, room temperature
2½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 lbs heirloom tomatoes, sliced ½ inch thick, if using cherries, halve.
12 large and 24 small fresh basil leaves, whole
9 inch tart pan with removable rim
Caramelized Onions:

Heat the butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the foam subsides, add the sugar and the salt and stir together well.
Add the onions, stirring and tossing to coat them with the butter mixture. Stir gently and frequently for 5 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium. Continue to cook approximately 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are deeply browned and a little sticky. Take care not to scorch the onions.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the water and stir well.
Set aside.

Crust:*

Mix the flour and salt in a processor.
Add the butter while processing
Add the 1 to 2 tablespoons of ice water as needed, be sparing, you can always add more.
Process a few moments until the dough comes together. If the dough is still too crumbly, as a little more of the ice water.
Remove the dough and flatten into a circular disk, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Tart Assembly:

Preheat oven to 450°.
Roll out dough and press into a 9” tart pan.
Bake the crust for 3 minutes, just to set it.
Spread the goat cheese across the bottom of the crust.
Spoon the caramelized onions on top of the goat cheese evenly.
Arrange the sliced tomatoes in a top layer over the onions. Place the large basil leaves across all.
Brush the rim of the crust with the egg wash lightly.
Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and the crust is golden brown.

Note: *Frozen pie dough works very well if you’re short of time.

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MARA’S GLUTEN-FREE POTATO PIZZA

Creamy Corn Soup

Caramelized Onions

Honey Bear Squash Roasted in Honey, Nutmeg and Sage

Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion

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